Pinot Noir

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Species: Vitis Vinifera
Parentage: Unknown
Aliases: Blauburgunder, Spatburgunder, Rulanske modre
Grape Color: Black
Regions: Chiefly associated with France’s Burgundy region. Also prevalent in Champagne, France; California; New Zealand

“With so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, they make the blood run hot,” Joel Fleischman, wine columnist at Vanity Fair, once described of Pinot Noir. Also christening it as a fickle mistress, a minx, and as sex in a glass, wine critics have had no hesitation in oft comparing Pinot Noir to a woman.

With many qualities lending themselves to this parallel, the best is likely that the Pinor Noir grape is difficult. Difficult to cultivate. Difficult to transform into wine. Difficult to pinpoint in taste.

The Pinot Noir grape is grown in tightly clustered dark purple, pine-cone shaped bunches, the resemblance from which it gets its name. Considered to produce the finest wines in the world, its fame as a Noble grape goes hand in hand with France’s Burgundy wine region.

Some giveaway qualities of the Pinot Noir are its thin skin, early ripening during growing season, and summer-fruit aromas such as those of strawberries and red cherries. You will notice that wines made of this varietal tend to have complex aromas, as well a smooth, silky texture. Pinot Noir also has light tannins and a structure that holds its own, giving it the ability to be paired well with many foods. However, because of its thin skin, the firsthand challenge for vintners lies in drawing color and flavor from these skins without extracting large amounts of tannin.

Pinot Noir tend to grow best in cool-climate regions, where while their youthful flavors hint of red berries, their more mature wines develop earthier flavors ranging from forest floor to violets to ripe tomatoes. This broad range of flavors from fruits to flowers to even licorice is what tends to confuse even the most experienced tasters.

The roots of Pinot Noir are no less complex than the grape itself. During first century A.D. this varietal was known to the Ancient Romans as Helvanacia Minor, which they turned into wine during their conquest of France’s Burgundy region, where it too was wildly popular. For hundreds of years in the Burgundy region, the hilly region where Pinot Noir was cultivated was known as Côte d'Or -- “The Slope of Gold.”

This red wine grape produces wines closer to a garnet color, unlike many red wines. It does not share the longevity of many other varietals, as it reaches its peak approximately 5-8 years past vintage. Despite the fact that its character can be hard to pinpoint, Pinot Noir is praised by vintners for striking the perfect balance of fruit, alcohol, acidity, and tannin in its wines.

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Carmel Road Pinot Noir 375

Winery:	Carmel Road Winery
Region:	USA » California » Monterey
Type:	Table Wines

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Baked Meatballs

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Ask the Winemaker: Erik Kramer

Single vineyard Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir are the order of the day at Willamette Valley’s acclaimed WillaKenzie Estate. Erik joined the Willakenzie team earlier this year to head up winemaking operations. Enjoy these excerpts from my conversation with...

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Golden Anniversary: Pinot Noir Celebrates 50th Year in Oregon

Oregon’s wine families scoured the state fifty years ago looking for the perfect Pinot Noir site. They found it in the Willamette Valley, The Oregonian reporter Molly Harbarger said in an atricle this week. Fifty years later, the Pinot market is booming.

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Mentor for Pinot Noir Wines

Craig Donofrio

Craig Donofrio is an Advanced Sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers and has worked and consulted for some of the nation's top restaurants. He is chief food/wine photographer at Grapevine Studios (www.grapevinestudios.blogspot.com).

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Popular Pinot Noir wines

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Taz Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County Fiddlestix

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Pinot Noir on Snooth

January 2011

Amisfield Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006

Snoothrank:

See Claire Mulholland (Amisfield) in our Meet-the-Winemaker video series (#8): www.debramasterofwine.com Read More

Wine review by Debra Meiburg MW
January 2011

August Briggs Pinot Noir Napa Valley Dijon Clones 2008

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by jfadgen
January 2011

Lucienne Pinot Noir 2005

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by RCattell
January 2011

Jigsaw Pinot Noir Oregon 2008

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by sfquixote
January 2011

Hook & Ladder Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2008

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by mcmr
January 2011

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild Carruades de Lafite Bordeaux Blend Wine 1986

Snoothrank:

December 2010. Cancún, México at 22ºC room temp.Conditioned bottle opened at ... this wine as I would a young Pinot Noir, with of course, the same food pairing as for a Pinot.To quote Michael Broadbent's on the Dom de Chevalier 1987: 2 stars, Drinkable. (No mention of the 1986)For Broadbent, "on the whole, 1986 produced hard, tannic wines which... Read More

Wine review by RichoMX
January 2011

Mark West Pinot Noir California 2006

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by mcmr
January 2011

Estancia Pinot Noir 2004

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by mjd1964
January 2011

Estancia Pinot Noir 2004

Snoothrank:

Not to bad for a 6 year young wine. This medium dry wine has a very lite, yet intense of aromas and taste, of smoke from various fruit sources. Very soothing with roasted pork followed, with some baked clams and sauce from (with a touch of spice) from the pork. makes for an all around very grateful palate. Read More

Wine review by mjd1964
January 2011

Domaine de Montille Bourgogne 2006

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by mase3114